Hello, glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
CHINA SAYS MAJOR MILITARY DRILLS TO START AROUND TAIWAN
China has announced that it is sending military units to conduct major drills around Taiwan.
Officials in Taipei condemned the move as an open challenge to international law and order.
The Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command said it is dispatching Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to areas surrounding Taiwan.
It said drills involving live-fire exercises will be carried out in waters and airspace around Taiwan from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
The drills, codenamed Justice Mission 2025, are the first such exercises since April.
The theater command said the drills will serve as a serious warning to what it called Taiwan independent separatist forces and external interference forces.
The drills will focus on patrolling to prepare for combat and closing important ports and areas to examine the troops' combat capabilities.
The military plans to approach Taiwan with ships and aircraft.
A spokesperson from Taiwan's presidential office issued a statement saying the drills undermine security in both the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific.
It said Taiwan will work closely with regional partners to maintain peace and stability in the region.
The drills come as China ramps up military pressure against the administration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-ta.
Beijing regards his ruling Democratic Progressive Party as pro-independence.
N.KOREA'S KIM REPORTEDLY OVERSEES CRUISE MISSILE DRILL
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly overseen a drill involving long-range strategic cruise missiles. South Korean and US forces are monitoring the situation.
The ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun says the drill took place on Sunday in waters west of the Korean Peninsula.
Troops reportedly practiced launching missiles and making assessments on reliability.
The newspaper says the projectiles flew for about two hours and 50 minutes along a predetermined course before hitting a target.
The report says Kim stressed that regular checks on the reliability and rapid response of North Korea's nuclear deterrent is a responsible exercise of the right to self-defense and war deterrence.
He also reportedly said the Workers' Party and the government will make every effort to develop and sustain the country's nuclear combat force.
TRUMP, ZELENSKYY DISCUSS PEACE PLAN
The US and Ukrainian presidents have discussed a proposal for ending Russia's invasion.
They reportedly made some headway on the security guarantees Kyiv demands, but progress on territory is proving more elusive.
President Donald Trump and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on Sunday in Florida.
He discussed the 20-point peace plan drawn up by Washington and Kyiv.
00:03:23(Donald Trump/US President)
We have made a lot of progress on ending that war, which is really certainly the most deadly war since World War II.
00:03:31(Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Ukrainian President)
We have great achievements, 20-point peace plan, 90 percent agreed.
00:03:38(Yamamoto Miki)
Zelenskyy suggested Ukrainian troops are prepared to withdraw from some areas.
But Trump said challenges remain, including security guarantees and the fate of the Donbas region in Ukraine's east.
He also said he will be calling Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue negotiations.
Russia's presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said shortly before the meeting that Putin
had agreed with Trump's suggestion to continue negotiations under two specially created working groups.
The Ukrainian presidential office says Zelenskyy spoke by phone with European leaders after the summit.
Officials from the US, Ukraine, and Europe are scheduled to discuss the peace plan next month.
♪
FORMER ABDUCTEE CALLS FOR JAPAN-NORTH KOREA SUMMIT
A Japanese woman, kidnapped by North Korea and repatriated years later, has spoken to NHK.
She called on Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to realize a summit with leader Kim Jong-un as soon as possible.
North Korean agents took Soga Hitomi and her mother Miyoshi from Sado Island in the Sea of Japan in 1978.
Hitomi was returned with four other abductees in 2002, but Miyoshi is still unaccounted for.
Soga spoke to NHK ahead of Sunday, which marked 94 years since the birth of her mother.
00:05:31(Soga Hitomi/Former abductee)
I want to tell my mother to stay fit and wait for the day to come back to Japan, remaining hopeful.
00:05:44(Yamamoto Miki)
Soga expressed gratitude to Takaichi for meeting abductees' relatives shortly after taking office earlier this year.
Takaichi said at a rally last month that the Japanese government seeks a summit with North Korean leader Kim. Soga described the announcement as very reassuring.
The Japanese government says at least 17 Japanese citizens were abducted by North Korean Asians in the 1970s and 80s.
Five were repatriated in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for.
JAPAN, OTHER ASIA NATIONS TO STUDY DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA
Bacteria that defeat antibiotics and other agents designed to treat infectious diseases are spreading worldwide.
Now a Japanese institute is joining forces with five Southeast Asian countries to study the current status of such bacteria.
00:06:38(Tokita Daisuke/ Japan Institute for Health Security)
It's possible that the new research will be able to propose new treatment options.
and doctors could save patients who are infected with drug-resistant bacteria in Asia.
00:06:53(Yamamoto Miki)
The Japan Institute for Health Security will launch a project to examine data on such bacteria in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines from next year.
The project involves asking 13 hospitals in the six countries to supply samples of microorganisms found in the patient's blood.
Researchers use them to determine which medicines the germs are resistant to.
They also look into what antimicrobial agents are available for use in those nations and follow patients' symptoms and health conditions.
These data will be shared among the six countries to aid efforts to find medicines that work against such bacteria.
00:07:41(Tokita Daisuke/ Japan Institute for Health Security)
The new initiative allows health workers to receive information on the spread of new infectious diseases and take measures as soon as possible.
JAPAN ZOO MARKS SHIFT IN ZODIAC SIGN FROM SNAKE TO HORSE
00:07:52(Yamamoto Miki)
Now, the arrival of a new year also ushers in a new reigning animal represented by one of the twelve zodiac signs.
A zoo in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, has marked the upcoming shift from this year's snake symbol to next year's horse with an amusing handover ceremony.
The facility is located in the town of Miyashiro. It holds an annual transfer event around this time of year that showcases the relevant animals it keeps.
Zookeepers at the facility presented a Burmese python and a pony in front of a golden folding screen during the ceremony.
00:08:35(Zookeepers1)
I was able to break out of my shell this year, much the way a snake sheds its skin.
00:08:40(Zookeepers2)
We hope to gallop through 2026 the way horses gallop.
We want everything to go smoothly.
00:08:48(Yamamoto Miki)
And some visitors also share their hopes for the upcoming year.
A local mother and father wished for good health.
They said they hope to spend the new year exploring many places together with their daughter.
And those were the headlines for this hour.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that's NHK Newsline for this hour. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thanks for joining us.
checked.
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Easy Japanese
00:10:11 話者 8
Hi there, it's time for NHK World Japan's Easy Japanese.
I'm Eric Kokojima.
00:10:17 話者 9
And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun learning Japanese together.
Today, we bring you lesson 40, expressing a reason.
Tam, a student from Vietnam, and Mia, a Chinese photographer, were relaxing in the living room of Haru-san house.
Just then, the sensors of Haru-san robot landlady detected something out of the ordinary.
00:10:43 話者 8
Listen to the skit for lesson 40.
Now let's look at the meaning line by line.
00:11:18 話者 9
Haru-san's cheeks flashed light blue as an earthquake shook the ground.
Miya felt it.
00:11:26 話者 8
Oh, the ground is shaking.
00:11:29 話者 9
Tam screamed.
00:11:32 話者 8
Earthquake! Help.
00:11:34 話者 9
Haru-san tried to put her at ease.
00:11:39 話者 8
Please calm down.
It's all right.
00:11:45 話者 9
The shaking subsided, and Miya said to Tam, See.
00:11:52 話者 8
It's already over.
00:11:53 話者 9
Feeling relieved, Tam replied.
00:11:59 話者 8
Since it was my first earthquake, I was startled.
00:12:03 話者 9
Well, I think anyone would be taken back by experiencing an earthquake for the first time.
00:12:08 話者 8
Even a small jolt can be unnerving for people who come from countries where earthquakes are rare.
00:12:20 話者 9
Today's key phrase is, Since it was my first earthquake, I was startled.
If you memorize this pattern,
you'll be able to express a reason.
00:12:35 話者 8
Here's the meaning part by part.
Hajimenetedatta means it was my first time.
Bikkurishimashita is the polite past tense of the verb bikkurisuru, meaning to be startled.
Today's point.
To give a reason, use the particle kara.
00:12:58 話者 9
In the skit,
Tam explained she was startled by the quake since it was her first time.
00:13:04 話者 8
That's right.
It was my first time is hajimete datta.
So add kara to say hajimete datta kara, meaning since it was my first time.
00:13:17 話者 9
OK, so what's the difference between hajimete datta and hajimete deshita?
00:13:23 話者 8
Well, it's the same meaning.
Hajimete deshita is in what's called the polite style, while Hajimete datta is known as the plain style.
When giving a reason by adding kara, the plain style is more natural than the polite style.
00:13:39 話者 9
And the plain style is...?
00:13:41 話者 8
It's a style that doesn't use desu or masu.
The past tense of desu is deshita, and the plain style of that is datta.
00:13:52 話者 9
Now, listen and repeat.
Okay, got it.
Now listen to this conversation.
A woman is answering a man's question about a Japanese movie she's seen.
00:14:31(Yamamoto Miki)0
Sono eiga omoshiro katta desu ka.
00:14:35(Yamamoto Miki)1
Hanashi na muzukashi katta kara.
Yokuba karimasen deshita.
00:14:43 話者 8
Here's the meaning.
00:14:45(Yamamoto Miki)0
Sono eiga omoshiro katta desu ka.
00:14:48 話者 9
Was that movie interesting?
00:14:50 話者 8
Sono eiga means that movie.
And omoshiro katta is the past tense of the e-adjective omoshiroi meaning interesting.
Adding this ka makes the question more polite.
00:15:07 話者 9
Since the story was difficult, I didn't understand it well.
00:15:16 話者 8
Hanashi means story.
Muzukashikatta is the past tense of i adjective muzukashi, difficult.
The i adjective becomes the plain style if you don't use this.
Kara is added to indicate the reason.
Yoku means well.
Wakarimasen deshita is the past tense of wakarimasen, or I don't understand.
The original verb, or the dictionary form, is wakaru, meaning to understand.
00:15:49 話者 9
All right then, listen and repeat.
00:15:54 話者 8
Hanashi ga amuzukashikatta kara.
00:16:00(Yamamoto Miki)2
Hanashi ga muzukashi katta kara yoku wa karimasen deshita.
Hanashi ga muzukashi katta kara yoku wa karimasen deshita.
00:16:23 話者 8
Let's practice with some other examples.
Imagine you didn't go to the beach today because it rained.
Say, Since it rained, I didn't go.
00:16:34 話者 9
Rain is...
Ame.
And it rained in the plain style is...
00:16:40(Yamamoto Miki)2
Ame datta.
Ame datta.
00:16:44 話者 9
I didn't go is...
00:16:47 話者 12
Ikimasen deshita.
Ikimasen deshita.
00:16:51 話者 9
Go ahead.
00:16:58 話者 11
Ame datta kara.
Ikimasen deshita.
00:17:10 話者 9
OK, are you catching on?
Today's bonus phrase is this line by Tam.
Learn it by heart.
00:17:25 話者 8
Tasukete means help.
It's the te form of the verb tasukeru, to help.
Using the te form by itself expresses a light instruction or an order.
00:17:38 話者 9
Use the phrase if you ever need to ask for help, whether it's a run-in with a thief or some sickness or injury that you need to be helped with.
Now this will get people's attention.
Have it ready for emergencies.
Now it's your turn.
Listen and repeat.
00:18:05 話者 8
OK, let's listen to the skit one more time.
00:18:42 話者 9
Now it's Haru-san's bag full of advice and today we'll talk about what to do in an earthquake.
00:18:51 話者 8
Earthquakes are pretty common in Japan.
00:18:54 話者 9
Yes, the country is prone to quakes and minor jolts occur all the time.
00:18:58 話者 8
So, what should we do when one hits?
00:19:01 話者 9
Well, if you're in a quake-proof building, don't go outside.
Instead, find a safe spot inside.
If the swaying is too strong that it makes it hard for you to move, wait until the shaking stops, and then carefully make your way out.
Be sure to protect your head whenever you're outdoors or indoors.
Hold a cushion, a book, or a bag over your head.
And protecting yourself under a table can also be effective.
Hold the upper parts of the table's legs.
Be on the alert for aftershocks as well.
And if you're near the coast, you may also need to be concerned about tsunami.
Evacuate to somewhere high as soon as possible.
00:19:40 話者 8
That's important for everyone to remember.
Thanks for tuning in to Easy Japanese.
00:19:56 話者 9
Come back again next time.
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Great Buddha of Kamakura
00:20:21 話者 13
Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors.
They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies.
What led to their creation, and what were the challenges involved?
The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature the Great Buddha of Kamakura.
Kamakura is a popular tourist destination located near Tokyo.
It's about a one-hour train ride from the capital.
One of Kamakura's landmarks is the Great Buddha.
As its name suggests, the Great Buddha is a colossal copper statue of Amitaba Buddha.
It was built as the principal deity of Jodo Sect Temple Kotokuin.
The Buddha is nicknamed Rozano Daibutsu, meaning The Great Buddha Sitting Out in the Open.
It's a national treasure of Japan.
From central Kamakura, the train ride and walk to Kotoku-in Temple takes about 15 minutes.
After passing through the temple's gate, the grand statue of Buddha comes into view.
The Buddha sits in a Zen meditation posture and is over 11 meters tall.
Kamakura was the seat of Japan's feudal government from the end of the 12th century to the early 14th century.
The construction of the Great Buddha began during this period in 1252, almost 800 years ago.
Today, the statue is covered with verde gris,
a bright green substance that forms on oxidized copper.
A closer look reveals slight traces of gold leaf, indicating that the statue was originally gilded.
The Great Budo is made by copper casting.
It's a manufacturing method of melting copper and pouring it into a mold.
But creating a statue that's over 11 meters high wasn't easy at the time.
and it wasn't possible to melt over 120 tons of copper in one go.
So the metal was cast in 40 sections.
This is why joints can be seen on the statue's surface.
The Buddha is hollow.
The statue has two windows on its back.
After the statue was completed, the inner mold was removed through these openings.
Today, the windows let in light and air.
The Buddha was enshrined when it was first built, but over time the hall was damaged by earthquakes and typhoons.
A tsunami at the end of the 15th century swept it away, leaving the Buddha exposed to the open air.
The temple was also abandoned for a certain period, but was restored in the early 18th century.
After a period in which Japan secluded itself from the rest of the world, the Yokohama Port near Kamakura was opened for foreign trade in 1859.
Following this, many foreigners are said to have visited the Great Buddha of Kamakura.
Built nearly eight centuries ago, the Great Buddha of Kamakura has a magnificence that continues to captivate people.
Thank you for tuning in to the backstory of Japanese landmarks.
We hope you have a chance to visit these landmarks and see for yourself what makes them so special.
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